Love, hate and the law: decriminalizing homosexuality

4 July 2008, Index number: POL 30/003/2008

The paper explores the different legal approaches to criminalizing homosexuality, including less direct approaches that may not explicitly criminalize same-sex sexual conduct but instead seek to prevent the promotion of homosexuality, protect children, or respond to public health concerns. Decriminalization is not the whole answer, but it is a key step towards respecting, protecting and fulfilling the human rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, same-sex practicing and transgender people.